King's College Athletics

WILKES-BARRE, PA (September 2, 2026) -- The King's College men's soccer team played Lackawanna College to a 1-1 draw Wednesday afternoon in the Monarchs' home opener at McCarthy Stadium. The contest marked the first-ever meeting between the two programs. With the result, King's moves to 0-0-1 on the season, while Lackawanna also moves to 0-0-1.
 
King's goalkeeper Ben Van Valkenburg kept the Monarchs within striking distance throughout the opening half, recording three saves on seven Lackawanna shots. The Falcons registered seven first-half shots, including three on goal, while King's recorded four shots and one shot on goal during the opening 45 minutes.
 
The second half saw both teams continue to battle for the advantage. Lackawanna finished the match with 14 shots and seven corner kicks, while King's recorded 10 shots and three corner kicks. Van Valkenburg finished with three saves, while the Lackawanna goalkeeper made one save.
 
After a scoreless opening 78 minutes, Lackawanna broke through in the 79th minute to take a 1-0 lead. The Falcons continued to pressure the Monarchs throughout the second half, but King's goalkeeper Ben Van Valkenburg and the Monarchs' defense kept the deficit to one.
 
King's quickly answered just two minutes later when Joaquin Cedillo found the back of the net in the 81st minute to even the match at 1-1. The goal marked Cedillo's first collegiate goal and came in his first game with the Monarchs.
 
The Monarchs continued to push for the go-ahead goal following Cedillo's equalizer. Santiago Javadpour nearly gave King's the lead in the 53rd minute when his shot found the top woodwork, while Evan Corcoran struck the top woodwork in the 85th minute as the Monarchs continued to create opportunities late.
 
Despite both teams creating chances in the final minutes, neither side could find the game-winning goal, sending the first matchup in program history between King's and Lackawanna to a 1-1 draw.
 
Cedillo led the Monarchs with his first collegiate goal, while Javadpour recorded multiple scoring opportunities throughout the contest. Van Valkenburg's three saves helped King's remain within striking distance before Cedillo's late equalizer.
 
King's men's soccer returns to action on Saturday, September 5, when the Monarchs travel to Oneonta, NY, to take on Hartwick College. Kickoff against the Hawks is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.